SIX INSURGENTS SHOT DEAD IN SOUTHERN THAILAND

BANGKOK, Nov 17 (Bernama) -- Six suspected separatists were shot dead by Thai security forces in a rare shootout in the restive southern province of Pattani Tuesday.

A Thai Army spokesman said the six were gunned down after soldiers and police used tear gas to storm the house they were hiding in, in Tambun Kuan Nori, Khok Po district.

He said the authorities received a tip-off that unknown people had entered the village and behaving suspiciously.

"A police car that went to investigate was shot upon at around 3pm. The insurgents then hid inside a house," he said when contacted.

According to him, the authorities sought help from local religious leaders to persuade the six to surrender but to no avail.

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THAILAND-SOUTH 2 BANGKOK

"So, we decided to storm the house. During the shootout, two of our men were injured and six insurgents shot dead," he said, adding that a cache of weapons was found in the house.

More than 3,600 people had died in daily violence since separatist groups resumed armed campaign in January 2004 to seek independence for the Muslim-majority provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala bordering Malaysia.

Bangkok, which has despatched more than 60,000 troops to the area, said the violence had dropped compared with previous years, but bombings and shootings still occurred as the insurgents used guerilla tactics.

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